Rajasthan, once called as ‘The Land of Kings’, is home to some of the most incredible forts and palaces in India. With so many rulers ruling the vast desert land and two millennia worth of history, Rajasthan has numerous forts spread across the state. Six forts were recently added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well. The forts of Rajasthan are not just about architecture but lets you explore different aspects of Rajasthan as a state, like its culture, the rich history and different traditions. Let us take you through some of the popular forts of Rajasthan that you will love to explore while travelling in the state.

Amber Fort, Jaipur : Amber Fort is one of the oldest forts in Rajasthan, built more than a thousand years ago. At first the residence of the Meenas of the area, it was taken over by the Rajputs or the Kachawas. Raja Kalki Devi built the Rajput structure in the complex in the year 1036. Over the years, the rulers built the various structures like temples and courtyards. The present day fort got its look in the 1600s under the reign of Maharaja Man Singh I when major buildings like Diwan-i-khas got its shape. The fort palace got more storeys once the royal family decided to expand their living area. One can divide the palace into 4 different parts or courtyards. From the top of the fort, tourists get some of the finest panoramic views of the city of Jaipur. Sheesha Mahal, Ganesha Pol Entrance and Baradari pavilion are some of the highlights of the Amber Fort.

Nahargarh Fort, Jaipur : Nahargarh Fort was once a third of the forts that lined overlooking the city of Jaipur, forming a strong defence mechanism to protect the city from foreign invasions. The fort sits beside the other two forts in the area, Amber Fort and Jaigarh Fort. The popular belief says that the fort got its name because of the spirit of Nahar Singh Bhomia, a former Rajput royal, haunting the palace for years. Maharaja Jai Singh, a master war strategist built the fort along as a cover to other two forts and thus protect his state. The view you get from the top of Nahargarh fort is the best you can have of the city of Jaipur and it accounts for the majority of footfall. The Jaipur Wax Museum, opened in 2016, is another tourist attraction of the place.

Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur : Jaigarh Fort is the third fort in the outskirts of the city of Jaipur and sits atop a hill, CheelkaTeela, overlooking Amber Fort. A secret passageway connects Jaigarh Fort to the Amber Fort that the royals used during wars or attempted invasions by enemies. Jaivana, the biggest canon on wheels in the whole world, is one of the top tourist attractions. Laxmi Vilas, Vilas Mandir, Lalit Vilas and Aram Mandir are some of the major buildings in the complex. The impressive square garden Charbagh is another key attraction inside the palace. The fort has walls that spread over 3kms in length and has maximum fortifications. The museum has some of the best artefacts, weapons and paintings of that era. The fort got its water from a water catchment built near the fort in the middle of hills. It had a holding capacity of more than 6 million gallons of water.

Junagarh Fort, Bikaner : Junagarh Fort is one of the few forts in Rajasthan not built on a hilltop. The fort was the residence of the royal family of ‘Rathore’ until the early 20th century when they moved out of the fort city to a new palace. Maharaja Rao Bika, the second son of Maharaja Rao Jodha, laid the foundation stone of the fort in 1478 after he founded the city of Bikaner. However, the present day Fort got its shape much later, almost a hundred years later. The huge fort has innumerable royal palaces and temples in it with each of them a fine example of the Rajasthani architecture. The whole city of Bikaner was built around the fort with a 360-degree view of the city from the top of the fort. Junagarh Fort is definitely one of the popular forts of Rajasthan that you will love to explore

Taragarh Fort, Bundi : Taragarh Fort is one of the forgotten forts of Rajasthan with most of it lying in shambles. The fort, built on top a steep hill is one of the major attractions in the city Ajmer. King Ajaypal Chauhan built the fort in 1354 with three massive gates, namely Lakshmi Pol, PhutaDarwaza, Gagudiki Pathak. Most of the fort now has a cover of wild vegetation but still is a great place to visit in the city of Ajmer. The fort complex have some huge water reservoirs, which was once the main source of water for most people in the city during emergencies. Another feature of Taragarh Fort is that it has several passageways within the hill but now are not accessible due to the lack of useful maps. The fort was once part of the Mughal Empire when Dara Shikoh, the first son of Mughal Emperor Jahangir, captured it in 1633. 

Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur : Mehrangarh Fort is one of the the popular forts of Rajasthan that you will love to explore for its sheer grandeur and size. It is one of the biggest forts in India and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well. The founder of Jodhpur, King Rao Jodha, laid the foundation of the fort city in 1459 but Jaswant Singh of Marwar built the majority of the present day fort more than century later. The fort city has some incredibly beautiful palaces and temples in not just India but the whole country. Moti Mahal, Phool Mahal, Sileh Khana, Daulat Khana and Sheesha Mahal are some of the best buildings in the fort. The walls of the fort are 118 ft high and 69 ft wide, making it one of the most heavily fortified forts of the country. The museum in the fort gives you glimpses of some of the best examples of weapons, shields, paintings, palanquins and other such things that the royals used.

Kumbhalgarh Fort, Khumbalgarh : Khumbalgarh Fort is the second most important fort in the city of Mewar after the Chittorgarh Fort. It is another one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Rajasthan, built during the reign of King Rana Khumba. He was one of the kings of the Sisodiya Clan that ruled the kingdom of Mewar in the 15th century. The original fort is believed to have been built back in 6th century but there is no sufficient proof of what happened thereafter. The biggest attraction of the fort is surely the 38km long wall that leads to the main fort, making it the second-longest wall after the Great Wall of China. The fort was built to bifurcate the cities of Mewar and Marwar and was often a place of refuge for the royals of Mewar during wars. The second largest fort in the country is surely one of the forts that you would not want to miss.

Chittogarh Fort, Chittorgarh : Chittorgarh Fort, the biggest fort in India, is undoubtedly the fort you would want to explore for sure. Spread over an area of 692 acres of land on top of the plains of the valley, has innumerable palaces, gardens, temples and towers. The fort has had various legends surrounding the story of its foundation but it quite clear that the fort city has been there for more than a thousand years with renovations and modifications done over the years. The fort once had 84 different water bodies that could occupy close to 4 billion litre of water upon rainfall. However, only 22 of them exist as of now. The immense fort has seen various attempts of invasion from different rulers and many have succeeded as well. AlaudinKhilji, Bahadur Shah and Akbar are some of the rulers who managed to seize the reigns of the fort. Jahangir gave the fort later to Raja Amar Singh by signing a treaty with them.

Ranthambore Fort, Ranthambore : Ranthambore Fort is an offbeat fort in many ways, as the fort is near the Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary. A tour that combines both fort and the sanctuary can be a great option for a traveller exploring Rajasthan. The fort was a fort used by royals to rest during their hunting sprees and explorations through the forests of Ranthambore. The fort holds quite a few temples, including both Jain and Hindu Temples. Naulakha Gate, BatteesKhambha, Annapurna Temple and Rani Haveli are some of the best tourist attractions of the place. Ranthambore fort is one of the popular forts of Rajasthan that you will love to explore for its location and the different buildings that the fort holds. The fort has seen various occupants during its life, such as Chauhans, Sultans of Delhi, Kachwahas and then the British as well. The various resorts and guesthouses near the fort allow you to spend your day with ease.

Monsoon Palace, Udaipur : If you are looking for a great panoramic view then the Monsoon Palace in Udaipur is one of the best places to be. The palace sits on top of a high hill in the city of Udaipur, giving you the stunning view of the numerous lakes and buildings spread across the city. The royal family built the palace to watch the monsoon clouds from top of the hill and hence the name. The other reason for building the fort was to have a look at King Sajjan’s ancestral home at Chittorgarh. The original idea was to build a multiple storey building and use it as an observatory for astronomy. However, upon the death of the King, it was turned to a monsoon palace. The fort, built using white marbles, looks distinct on top of the hill but at times disappears in between the low-lying clouds as well.

Vinay Vilas Mahal, Alwar : Vinay Vilas Mahal is one of the most beautiful palaces in Rajasthan with some stunning artwork and paintings all around the palace. The palace built in the 18th century sits amidst the hills of Aravalis. The palace now houses a few government offices, including the office of Superintendent of Police. The top floors of the palace are open to tourists. The first floor of the palace has a museum that some of the finest examples of royal clothes, armoury and furniture that royals used. Maharaja Tej Singh Prabhakar Bahadur made it possible for the museum to exist, as he is the one who donated many of his possessions to for the museum. A dark alleyway leads to the entrance of the palace, which opens to a large courtyard. Apart from the museum, you get to have a look at different royal suites in the palace.